Subunit interaction during catalysis. ATP modulation of catalytic steps in the succinyl-CoA synthetase reaction.

A new approach for assessing of catalytic cooperativity may occur between subunits has been applied to succinyl-CoA synthetase. This is based on the extent of oxygen exchange between medium [18O]Pi and succinate per molecule of ATP cleaved during steady state succinyl-CoA synthesis. Suitable traps are used to remove succinyl-CoA and ADP as soon as they are released to the medium. With the Escherichia coli enzyme, which has an alpha 2 beta 2 structure, a pronounced increase in oxygen exchange per ATP cleaved occurs as ATP concentration is lowered. In contrast, when the CoA concentration is varied, the oxygen exchange per molecule of product formed remains constant. Also, with the pig heart enzyme, which is shown to retain its alpha beta structure during catalysis and thus has only one catalytic site, no modulation of oxygen exchange by ATP concentration is observed. These experimental findings show that the binding of an ATP either promotes the dissociation of bound succinyl-CoA or decreases its participation in exchange. Measurement of the distribution of [18O]Pi species found as exchange occurs shows that only one catalytic sequence is involved in exchange at various ATP concentrations. These observations along with other controls and results eliminate most other explanations of the ATP modulation of the exchange and suggest that binding of ATP at one catalytic site promotes catalytic site promotes catalytic events at an alternate catalytic site.